Jump to content

ASOIAF similar fantasy series?


Stark Supporter

Recommended Posts

Hi, I'm new to the forum, I read the forums a lot but dont post.

However, I'm currently on book 4 of this series and am after some advise on similar (or any other good) fantasy series that the readers here recommend?

ASOIAF is my first fantasy series (unless you count Harry Potter) and I am really enjoying it. Up to this point I never really understood the allure of fantasy novels and was happy with crime/thriller novels or just drama fiction.

Some years ago I did start reading the LOTR series but grew immesely bored with the sheer volume of the world descriptions (I enjoyed the movies though). I started ASOIAF after watching the first season of the HBO GoT series and realised they are quite an enjoyable read.

So what other series would you recommend for someone who is new to fantasy fiction?

Thanks

I don't know if I'm alone on this, but, I only started reading these books a few years ago. It was before the series started, but the book had Sean Bean on its cover and since I'm a big Lord of the Rings fan, I decided to give it a shot. By the way, Lord of the Rings is totally worth it, start with the Hobbit and don't look back!

Anyway, sorry for the digression. I've been an avid reader of all kinds of books, mostly mystery, some political intrigue, some romance, family sagas. I loved the Harry Potter series. I've heard good things about The Wheel of Time but I haven't read it. YET. The reason I haven't read it yet is simple. I have become obsessed with the Song of Ice & Fire series! Truly! I cannot stop rereading these books. Three of them are in tatters and dropping pages and need to be replaced because of all of my writings in the margins and going back and folding significant pages with even more significant passages. George Martin has me for life! If he doesn't finish this series I'll be like a white rat on an exercise wheel forever bound to go nowhere! I have bought other books and they lay unread on my tables or shelves. Every once in awhile I pick one up and start reading and before I know it, I'm right back to where I left off. I learn something new every time I read these books and think I actually know something, then I come to this forum and realize I know nothing! I privately call myself Jon Snow at times as in "you know nothing Jon Snow." Whatever you read, choose a subject that interests you.

Good luck. After a lifetime of reading I've finally hit a Wall of Ice & Fire.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think I came to Hobb's work too late. Though, I can't look at the new covers for the Farseer Trilogy without seeing Bran on book one, Jon on book two, and Mance Rayder on book three's cover. The synopsis for Memory, Sorrow and Thorn sounds pretty close to the overarching plot of ASOIAF, from the supernatural threat to the heroes. The Dragonbone Chair is one of the novels that inspired George to pen AGoT. You might try Richard Morgan's The Steel Remains...it is oftentimes lumped into the same, ah, classification, as ASOIAF and doesn't bore you with worldbuilding (though I don't think ASOIAF really fits into that classification). Mark Lawrence's Prince of Thorns is described as being like George Martin (or maybe Game of Thrones is what the blurb referenced; I don't have the book at hand right now) on speed. That might suite your tastes as well.


Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think there's anything out there that's really comparable to ASOIAF. Abercrombie is real good, but so very, very different from GRRM, which is what you would expect since they are different people. The Malazan books are great, but not at all comparable to ASOIAF. I'm just now getting started on Bakker and again, completely and totally different from ASOIAF. I suppose my point is that there's other good stuff out there, but it's good in it's own way. And that's how it's supposed to be. We don't want authors simply copying each other.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think there's anything out there that's really comparable to ASOIAF. Abercrombie is real good, but so very, very different from GRRM, which is what you would expect since they are different people.

You have a point here. Let's say that if what you liked in ASOIAF was the worldbuilding and the huge amount of characters, The First Law may not be for you. However, if you like big battles, political intrigues and morally ambiguous POV characters, you have your choice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...